Swollen chest

[pamperedchicks]

Hi everyone just wondering if you can help! I have a 23week old chicken and I've noticed today the right side of her chest is swollen, not her crop area but lower down, any ideas what this could be? I've just been trying for 10 minutes to pick her up and feel but she is a very skittish chicken, so it's proving quite difficult!!
Thanks in advance!

 

[tlcarnes2176]

a picture might be helpful!

 

[Eggcessive]

It may be that her crop is quite full and hanging down--this may be pendulous crop, which is when the crop gets stretched out so far that is loses elasticity. Another condition, if it isn't the crop, is a leaking air sac which fills up with air under the skin, usually from an injury. If the chicken is not in distress, the air will usually absorb back into the body on it's own. Here are 2 links for your info:
http://www.tillysnest.com/2012/01/crop-issues.html
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1950Natur.166..442R

 

[pamperedchicks]

I have been trying to take a picture of her but she keeps moving, she seems to be eating and all poo seems normal! I've put her to bed now so will see in the morning if it has got smaller.

I tried to get a full frontal view but this is the side she is swollen and when looking at her it is quite a bit bigger than the other side.

 

[pamperedchicks]

On these two pictures can you see that on the first one she is swollen lower down, compared to how high her chest is on the second one! Sorry if I'm not making any sense!